CO-OP PRESS
Featuring the music of Sy Brandon
"By
using popular songs of
the Civil War period, Sy Brandon has wonderfully captured the moods and
emotions of the common folks who lived through the War. The Suite
really helped our students to understand the War in a more personal
way." James Orgar
Civil
War Suite (2005) - This suite was commission by the French Road
Elementary School Blue Band, James Orgar, Conductor. Duration
12:30 Elementary/Middle School Level
$50.00
Program Notes or Narration
Introduction
The Civil War period was a time where beliefs flowed strongly on both
sides. For four long years, extreme hardships on the battlefield and
the home front were experienced. Many songs were written to express
these hardships and to help elevate the spirits of those fighting and
those waiting at home. "Civil War Suite" uses songs from this era to
illustrate the conflict, beliefs and tragedies of this war. The
composition is divided into five sections; The North, The South, The
Soldier’s Life, Loss, and Coming Home.
The North
Throughout the war, many different songs inspired soldiers and
civilians of the Union. The war was a little more than a year old when
George F. Root wrote "The Battle Cry of Freedom". There are many
reports of this song being used to rally the Union Army. Julia Ward
Howe’s "Battle Hymn of the Republic" was the first great inspirational
song of the Union and was first published in The Atlantic Monthly in
February 1862. Ironically, the melody comes from a song written by a
southern composer, William Steffe. Both songs are used in this movement
in their entirety as well as in fragments. There are sections where
both songs occur together.
The South
The newly created Confederacy found the most inspiration from two
songs, "The Bonnie Blue Flag" and "Dixie". The words of "The Bonnie
Blue Flag" tell the story of secession and reveal the mood of the
states at war. Some early uses of the song where at the convention when
Mississippi seceded from the union and by troops en route to Virginia.
"Dixie" became the rallying song for the South when the southern people
created new words to an 1859 melody by northern composer Dan Decatur
Emmett. "Dixie" was played at the inauguration of Jefferson Davis in
1861. "The Bonnie Blue Flag" is heard first during this movement
followed by "Dixie". "Dixie" appears in two tempos, the regular speed
and a stretched out version. Both tempos are also used at the same time
along with a brief quote from "The Bonnie Blue Flag", therefore
creating a collage effect.
The Soldiering Life
Songs reflecting the soldiering life were designed to lift the spirits
during a harsh existence. "Hard Crackers Come Again No More" is a take
off on Stephen Foster’s "Hard Times Come Again No More" and it uses
earthy humor to describe the meager meal rations the soldier’s faced.
"Tenting on the Old Camp Ground" by Walter Kittredge was inspirational
to both sides with its lyrics that speak of hope for peace. Theses two
songs are used in the first part of this movement where they alternate
phrases before they are heard together. The harmony has been changed to
give an underlying hint of sadness. The second part of this movement
uses George F. Root’s "Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!" in a setting that grows in
intensity until the end. Union Army prisoners sang this song to keep
their spirits high.
Loss
This movement uses three types of songs representing the tragedies of
war. The first part uses phrases from two songs that tell of a
soldier’s death. Charles Carroll Sawyer’s "Mother Would Comfort Me" and
"Who Will Care for Mother Now?" tell the dying thoughts of a soldier in
a prison hospital, the first of longing for his mother, the second
concern over who will take care of her. The middle section uses George
F. Root’s song "Foes and Friends" that portrays a soldier from New
Hampshire and one from Georgia who in the day time were enemies and at
night, dying on the red clay field, become friends. The last section
uses the choruses from three songs that speak of the family’s loss of a
soldier; George F. Root’s "The Vacant Chair", W. Dexter Smith and
Frederick Buckley’s "Tell Me, Is My Father Coming Home?" and Charles
Carroll Sawyer and Henry Tucker’s "Weeping, Sad and Lonely". The entire
movement is unified by the use of the melody of "Taps".
Coming Home
The last movement uses two songs expressing hope for peace and the
return of the soldiers. L. J. Bates and George F. Root’s "Good-bye, Old
Glory" expresses the Union soldier’s farewell to the fight, the march,
the bugle and the hard tack. Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore’s "When Johnny
Comes Marching Home" was used by both sides by the soldiers and by the
home folks. The setting uses the percussion section to unify the
different rhythmic feel of these songs and to separate the phrases.
